Seal lock device



July 11, 1967 s. P. BECKER SEAL LOCK DEVICE Filed Sept. 7, 1965 2 E 2 WM N w a F M 4 a J 0 J P m 5 United States Patent Ofiice 3,33%,586 Patented July 11, 1967 3,330,586 SEAL LOCK DEVICE Stephen P. Becker, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., assignor to Fargo Mfg. Company, Inc., Poughkeepsie, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 7, 1%5, Ser. No. 485,190 6 Claims. (Cl. 292-315) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A one-shot seal lock device consisting of clamp, c01- lar and screw in which the clamp ends within the collar are wedged against the collar bore walls by the screw end which is therebetween and the screw which is threadingly engaged with the collar is provided with a predetermined shear zone to accomplish shearing and prevention of removal after the screw end has been brought into abutment with the collar-bore wall.

This invention relates generally to locking devices and more particularly to a simple, inexpensive and non-reuseable or one-shot lock.

There are many uses in industry for a simple and inexpensive locking device and in certain installations there is great advantage if the locking device is of the non-reuseable or one-shot type, which when closed cannot be opened without destroying the lock.

This invention provides a lock device of that type which is particularly useful in the utility field for the purpose of keeping meddlers out of switch boxes, transformer housings, terminal junctions and the like and which will indicate if meddling has occurred.

A lock device embodying the invention and the manner of using the same is disclosed herein with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lock device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a segmentary view from the side of the lock device shown in FIG. 1 with a portion of an installation shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 2 with the lock device not completely closed;

FIG. 4 is a segmentary view somewhat similar to the view in FIG. 3 with the lock device completely closed; and

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 55 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 4.

In the figures a locking device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention is illustrated consisting of an encircling clamp elongated collar 12 and locking screw 14. The device as shown is simple consisting of three parts and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The encircling clamp 10 which is circular in crosssection is formed of suitable material such as of a hard steel and coated with aluminum, copper or zinc plated. The numeral 10' in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 indicates the core. If desired the loop, as well as the other elements could be formed of plastic such as hard nylon. The clamp is folded or bent upon itself to provide a central ring or circular portion 16 and substantially parallel spaced legs or ends 18 and 20.

Collar 12 which is formed of any suitable material is somewhat elongated and provided with a longitudinal bore 22 which is generally elliptical in cross-section with a longitudinal channel 24 formed in one side of the bore. Threaded opening 26 communicates bore 22 with flattened outer surface 28 of the collar.

Locking screw 14 is provided with a head 30 at one end and point 32 at the other end. The locking screw is formed to be received within opening 26 with threads 34 of the locking screw engaging the threads of opening 26. The locking screw is also provided with a reduced diameter portion 36 which represents a predetermined shearing area which area will shear upon the exceeding of a predetermined turning torque upon head 30.

In use the encircling clamp 10 is inserted tiuough an opening in the installation to be locked such as opening 38 shown in installation 40 in FIG. 2. Legs 18 and 20 are then disposed within bore 22 of collar 12 as shown in the figures and when so inserted the natural resiliency in the encircling clamp will tend to have legs 18 and 20 pushed toward the respective ends 42 and 44 of bore 22. The ends lie in the bore in substantially parallel spaced relation on either side of channel 24.

The locking screw 14 is then inserted in opening 26 and turned with the threads 34 thereof engaging the threads of opening 26 so that the locking screw moves toward the bore 22 or to the left as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. In FIGS. 2 and 3 the locking screw is shown in a position wherein the threads thereof engage the threads of opening 26 but the device is not completely closed since the sides of point 32 are disposed merely adjacent legs 18 and 20. Continued turning of the locking screw 14 moves the screw to the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein the point 32 seats in the coating or soft material of legs 18 and 20 pushing these legs toward their respective ends of the elliptical groove 22 and with the apex of point 32 within channel 24. This is the extreme or completely locked position. Further turning of locking screw 14 results in the shearing of the screw at zone 36 as shown in FIG. 4. The shearing occurs substantially at flat surface 28 of the collar and provides a neat appearance while leaving no portion of the screw projecting from opening 26 and thus the screw cannot be engaged by a tool in the hand of a meddler or pilferer. The aluminum coating of the legs of encircling clamp 10 provides an excellent seat for the piercing point 32. A tremendous force is required to remove the encircling clamp 10 from the collar 12 after the bolt has been tightened. In one pull-out test conducted it required over 600 pounds to remove the collar from the encircling clamp.

Since the screw is provided with shear zone 36 when it is tightened to the breaking point it shears flush with the body or collar eliminating the possibility of pilfering. Actually the only way to remove the lock after it has been completely closed is to pry off the collar 12 or cut the loop of the encircling clamp 11 The material from which the clamp can be formed can be a hard material so that cutting through it would not be an easy task.

It is seen therefore that an easy to use and relatively inexpensive lock device has been provided.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforenoted have been achieved. Obviously, numerous changes and rearrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A seal lock device including in combination a collar, a bore in said collar, a threaded opening formed in said collar communicating with said bore, an encircling clamp bent upon itself, first and second ends of said encircling clamp substantially parallel to one another and received Within said bore, a threaded locking screw insertable through said opening, a point on the end of said locking screw, a reduced diameter zone of said locking screw spaced from said point with the threads of said locking screw between said point and said zone said parts being shaped so that forward moving turning forces applied to said locking screw upon said point tightly abutting a side of said bore will result in a shearing action at said zone, with surfaces of said point and deforming said ends within said bore between said ends and pressing the same against the sides of said bore to wedgingly engage each of said ends.

2. A lock device in accordance with claim 1 in which said ends present a relatively soft material which yields upon said point engaging the same forming a seat for said point.

3. A lock device in accordance with claim 1 in which said ends are formed of hard steel and coated with aluminum whereby upon engagement with said point said aluminum yields forming a seat for said point.

4. A lock device in accordance with claim 1 in which said ends are formed of hard steel and coated with copper whereby upon engagement with said point said copper yields forming a seat for said point.

5. A look device in accordance with claim 1 in which said ends are formed of hard steel and zinc plated whereby upon engagement with said point said zinc yields forming a seat for said point.

6. A lock device in accordance with claim 1 in which said ends are formed of a plastic whereby upon engagement with said point portions of said ends yield forming a slot for said point.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 309,509 12/1884 Paul et a1. 29196.3X 1,039,576 9/1912 Mueller et al. 8561 X 1,987,737 1/1935 Goddard 292-307 2,167,609 7/1939 Dolle. 2,966,653 12/1960 Jugle 339-95 2,997,522 8/1961 Schneider 174-84 3,015,683 1/1962 OKeefe et al. 174-8 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 245,906 7/ 1963 Australia.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

R. E. MOORE, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO. 3,330,586 July 11, 1967 Stephen P. Becker fied that error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certi on and that the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correcti corrected below.

Column 2 line 71 after "zone" insert a comma; column 3 line 3, after "point" insert engaging Signed and sealed this 29th day of April 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A SEAL LOCK DEVICE INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A COLLAR, A BORE IN SAID COLLAR, A THREADED OPENING FORMED IN SAID COLLAR COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE, AN ENCIRCLING CLAMP BENT UPON ITSELF, FIRST AND SECOND ENDS OF SAID ENCIRCLING CLAMP SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER AND RECEIVED WITHIN SAID BORE, A THREADED LOCKING SCREW INSERTABLE THROUGH SAID OPENING, A POINT ON THE END OF SAID LOCKING SCREW, A REDUCED DIAMETER ZONE OF SAID LOCKING SCREW SPACED FROM SAID POINT WITH THE THREADS OF SAID LOCKING SCREW BETWEEN SAID POINT AND SAID ZONE SAID PARTS BEING SHAPED SO THAT FORWARD MOVING TURNING FORCES AP- 